Episode 467 - Adaptions and Transmogrification!
Feb 23, 2020
The process of adaptation is quite interesting. Stories go through all sorts of changes when they're transferred from one medium to another. A lot of the time we bemoan that as “not staying true to the original” or “the book was better”, but there are many times where the adaption is really interesting in its own right, even though it's quite different from what it started out as.
Topics and Show Notes
A straight out bad adaptation (in my opinion) is Peter Jackson's “the Hobbit”. Instead of simply transforming the story to better fit the medium of film, it was changed to accommodate current fashionable Hollywood tropes- an A, B, C, and D story structure, romantic interests, tragic heroic characters, nemesis characters, high speed action sequences etc. It didn't retain any of the spirit of the story it was based on. Retaining the “spirit” seems to be the important part of making a good adaptation, details don't matter so much.
In that vein, Conan the Barbarian is considered to be quite a good film. It's the only successful Conan adaption from the original stories apart from the comic series. For the movie they changed details about the character (supposed to have square-cut long black hair instead of ragged brown hair, supposed to be swarthy skinned, and his origin was changed massively). The story in the film was loosely based on a few different Conan stories, but mainly it was its own thing. The story of the film stayed true to the theme of Robert E Howard's philosophy and character even though the details were all wrong, this made it a very good adaptation because it's the theme of the stories and character that makes Conan so good, NOT the details. Later adaptations in the form of other films, games, and TV series never managed to get that same vibe.
In the Quackcast we cover things like War of the Worlds, Robin Hood, the Marvel Universe, DC movies and so on.
What are some good or bad adaptations that you've seen and why did they succeed or fail?
This week Gunwallace has given us the theme to TRUMPed, or rather the “making-off” the theme for TRUMPed. You can see what boundless taste and sense of style this fellow has in his choice of theme tunes, no Eleanor Rigby style classical sounding stuff for the blonde haired buffoon, Heavenly choirs and stately piano pieces are far too serious, subtle, stylish and sensible! Nothing less than a bubblegum jingle will please the Pres!
Topics and shownotes
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Links
Banes' creen Adaptations newspost - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/news/2020/feb/20/page-to-screen-adaptations/
Featured comic:
Hyperbolic Fabrications Presents - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/news/2020/feb/16/featured-comic-hyperbolic-fabrications-presents/
Featured music:
TRUMPed - - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/TRUMPed/, by Rawdale, rated M.
Special thanks to:
Gunwallace - http://www.virtuallycomics.com
Tantz Aerine - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Tantz_Aerine/
Ozoneocean - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/ozoneocean
Banes - https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/user/Banes/
Episode 319 - Roll out the photocomics!
Apr 17, 2017
Photocomics don't get nearly enough love. A while ago Banes did a great newspost on the subject where he did some great little promotional reviews of some prominent photocomics on DD. I thought that was a cool idea and I've been meaning to return to the subject for a while. In this Quackcast Pitface and I use funny voices to talk about photocomics. But what ARE photocomics? Well the artist sets up models, toys, artwork, or themselves, and shoots photos of them in certain scenes in order to create a narrative. Later on they'll edit those together in something like Photoshop, adding captions and word bubbles and basically turning them into a conventional comic. People like Bravo1102 go the extra mile to construct elaborate sets and shoot the entire comic as you would a film, taking photos out of sequence because sets have to be broken up and new ones constructed. He even does greenscreen! Gunwallace and and Kdog buy special sets of Playmobile or Space Lego in order to expand and continue their elaborate stories. Trevor Mueller used himself and his friends as models. VinoMas creates really cool artworks out of collage. Rawdale uses stock photos to create his political commentary comics. Sameth uses Superhero figurines… there are so many approaches to the concept. Bellow I've linked a few examples to check out! The music for this week by Gunwallace is for Neander Chan, it's the primal beat of life! This is an utterly danceable sound, driving syncopated rhythm travels up your nerves and down deep into your bones, spiky, distorted electric guitar adds a touch of lyricism.
Episode 311 - Myth and modernity
Feb 20, 2017
Myths and legends are often recycled and reused, but why would you adapt them to the modern day? This idea came to us from Tantz Aerine and her great news posts on the last two Saturdays. Read those if you want a good perspective on the idea! Ptface, Tantz, Banes, and I explore all the interesting TV shows and movies that have variations on the idea, everything from Cool Hand Luke to Ulysses 31! Music: Life and Death - Light hearted lyrics and classical vaudevillian comical ukulele mixed with synth in the best tradition of flight of the Conchords… but this is Gunwallace!
